Bongo conversion - interior bed size

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Spencer_matt
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Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Spencer_matt » Sun Sep 11, 2016 11:18 am

Hi all,

New to the site. Me and my girlfriend have our heart set on getting a bongo. Been hooked on the idea since borrowing my parents RV in America. We have been looking at the rear conversions but were wondering what is (abouts) the size of the bed of the interior when all the seats are flattened down.

Is it manageable to sleep on? We are both of average height. The side conversions all seem lovely but it seems the price different between the two is quite a lot.

Also. Could any one recommend any conversion companies (we are based in South Wales so that sort of area, west England would probably be best for us).

Thanks very much for your help.

Matt & Liz
Bob
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Bob » Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:07 pm

Welcome aboard.

Talk to Ed at Celtic Motorhomes near Caerphilly.

http://celticmotorhomes.co.uk/
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Joe_anne123
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Joe_anne123 » Sun Sep 11, 2016 1:22 pm

I had a midconversion done by SPD Campers in Swansea. The bed when flattened is the full width of the back seat at shoulder level, but tapering in at leg level, and is 6ft 2in long or thereabouts. Works ok for 2 to sleep (well, my OH didn't complain too much!)
peridot
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by peridot » Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:33 pm

Another couple of South Wales based bongo newbies here, currently on the lookout for our first van.

I was going to start a separate thread but it makes sense to chip in here. We're trying to get our head around the different balance of sleeping/living/storage space offered by the various layout options. One thing we'd really like is to preserve a little free floor space with the bed deployed, which could accommodate a portapotti on overnight stops and allow for dressing / making a cuppa in the morning.

I believe we could do this by having a rear kitchen and using the driving seats and middle bench for the bed. I haven't seen may layouts based on this principle and wondered if it has any drawbacks that I haven't considered?

I can see that we'd have to cover over the windscreen / side windows and use a foam 'topper' to address the unevenness of the bed, but would it otherwise be big enough for two adults and achieve the desired space between the end of the bed and a typical rear kitchen?

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Bongolia
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Bongolia » Sun Sep 11, 2016 4:59 pm

If you go for an AFT model you get a good size bed up top. Best to mod it so you can enter and exit from the end though, not difficult to do.
Plenty of info and differing ways of doing that on this site.
We have a pull out bed down stairs but we dont use it unless we have a falling out :(
I much prefer upstairs.
With the awning on we sleep in that.
Hope that help
Bob
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Bob » Sun Sep 11, 2016 5:06 pm

Ours is unconverted and we find the fronts and middles fine for sleeping.

As you say, loo in back and plenty of room to dress.
peridot
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by peridot » Tue Sep 13, 2016 1:33 pm

Thanks for the replies.

Sleeping upstairs is an option, although Mrs P. is not so good with arrangement requiring manual dexterity. She has an uncanny knack of getting entangled in something or other and ending up in some compromising position :P

Good to have confirmation that it works okay Bob.

Thinks have moved swiftly on and we've happened upon a side conversion at a good price. We may well go for that and see how we get on. I think we need to get some experience of living with the Bongo before really knowing what's best for us in the longer term.
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the1andonly
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by the1andonly » Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:27 pm

I think we need to get some experience of living with the Bongo before really knowing what's best for us in the longer term.


I totally agree, in the 1st 3 years we had 3 totally different layouts. The final layout would be differrent from what we have, because of back problems i could not make my design and swmbo bought a unit
We have modified as we go along. optimization is the word.
peridot
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by peridot » Wed Sep 14, 2016 11:10 pm

Well for better or worse we've bought the side conversion one and provided the mechanicals are sound we should have some funds left to modify as we go along. The rock and roll bed leaves some room for a small 'facility' at the end behind the passenger seat, so Mrs P's number one requirement (literally) is satisfied [-o<

@Spencer_matt - how is your search for the right Bongo going?
Spencer_matt
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by Spencer_matt » Wed Sep 21, 2016 12:09 pm

Slowly.

Still weighing up all the options but glad to hear that a read end conversion could work for us.

I guess it's just see what comes up really.
ardee
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Re: Bongo conversion - interior bed size

Post by ardee » Wed Sep 28, 2016 10:24 am

We bought ours with a side conversion already done. The bed is the type that has a space at the end, which is what I wanted, but as my husband is over 6ft tall we needed some sort of solution for him to rest his feet on as the bed is only around 5ft or so long. After a bit of thought I came up with a cheap and practical brainwave. I bought one of these fabric dog cages for £20:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130665453019? ... EBIDX%3AIT
Don't laugh!! It is around the same height as the bed once it has a pillow on top of it so at night we unfold it put it at his end of the bed and he puts his feet on it. That still leaves room at the end of the bed on my side for the portapotti. During the day we fold the fabric cage down and store it under the bed. It works really well.
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